Teams battle for N2m prize money as Kuje Football League kicks off

10 teams in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja will battle for N2 million prize money at stake as Kuje Football League kicks off on Sunday, 11th May, at the Kuje Township Stadium.

The chairman, local organising committee, Kuje Football Association, Mr Momoh Mohammed, who revealed this at a press conference in Kuje on Thursday, said the League will go a long way in empowering the youths and keep them engaged in a productive venture saying the power of football as a platform to bring the youths for the purpose of unity cannot be overemphasized.

Mohammed, who said the league in Kuje is overdue, commended the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) under the minister, Nyesom Wike, for opening up Kuje through its infrastructural drive, saying Wike has opened Kuje to the outside world.

The LOC chairman said that 10 teams will be participating in the League, which is expected to last for five months with 180 games to be played on weekends, just as he added that the winner would smile home with N1 million, the second place team, N500,000 and the third place, N400,000.

“Football League in Kuje is long overdue. Since I came to Kuje, I was wondering why there was no league. Because that is the only way we can develop the youth and bring activities to Kuje and through football, we all know that once you say football, it goes viral. We believe in this project and we sat down and said the time is ripe, as we already understand the implications of us doing this.

“And to boost our morale, the FCT government has come to open up Kuje by giving us this beautiful access road. Without access road, there can be no development anywhere. We believe that with the FCT drive, we believe that once we introduce this league, it’ll go a long way to complement what the FCT government is doing.

“And that is why we said it’s time for us to start the Kuje Football League. We started out reaching out to sponsors and luckily, we got a nod from one of the sponsors who saw it as a good idea and said, let’s not overblow it yet and let’s start with 10 teams. They will monitor the project, monitor its progress and once we are able to package it well as we’re doing it now, by next year, I believe they will come in fully.

“The League is going to be run for over a period of five months and it will be on a weekend basis, Saturday and Sunday, we’ll have two matches each. But this could be altered if we have unforeseen natural occurrences like rain that may not make that possible. Such games will be pushed to midweek, Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the weather conditions.

“At the end of the day, the winner, the second place and the third place will be rewarded financially and awards would be given. The winner is going home with N1 million, the second place N500,000 and the third place is N400,000

“With this football league, I want to promise the people of Kuje that there is a better place for them to while away their weekends. Come to the field and watch good football as if you’re watching it abroad. This would be our own FA football tournament here in Kuje,” Mohammed told Sporting Tribune.

Sports Officer, Kuje Area Council, Mohammed Jibrin Sabo, while appreciating the organisers for the initiative, said the League will impact positively on the lives of youths in the Council.

“I want to appreciate the organisers of the league and the local organising committee for finding it worthy to come up with this initiative and bring the tournament to Kuje. With this, I want to believe that Kuje will go higher in terms of football and on the long run and the youths here will benefit immensely as it will change their lives and they will make progress,” he said.

The participating teams are Holy Ghost FC, Royal Enny, Makins FC, Crown Tee FC and Firestone FC. Others are Homeboys FC, Kango FC, Rondo FC and Amazing Grace FC. According to the fixtures, the opening game will be between Amazing Grace and Firestone.

All matches will be played at the Kuje Township Stadium and Funtaj School, Kuje.